Abstract

The production rate and yield of ethanol was markedly increased when water hyacinth, pretreated with microwave-assisted dilute acid, was fermented with acclimatized yeasts through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. Water hyacinth hydrolyzate microwaved with 1% (v/v) dilute sulfuric acid was fermented with the acclimatized mixed yeasts Pichia stipitis and Pachysolen tannophilus at a volume ratio of 1:1. The highest ethanol yield was 0.22 g/g (raw biomass of water hyacinth), which was 76.3% of the theoretical ethanol yield. A maximum ethanol production rate of 0.19 g/(L·h) was obtained after 24 h.Download PDF